The Authority Collective — a group which describes itself as “a group of womxn/femmes/trans/non-binary/gender non-conforming people of color reclaiming their authority in the photography, film and (virtual reality/augmented reality) industries” — was just profiled in this piece by Danielle Villasana on Medium.

“Now, it is up to the gatekeepers to really have those uncomfortable conversations about their privilege and how it enables the erasure of a balance in representation in the media.” – Laylah Barrayn (co-founder/EIC of MFON) https://t.co/wJl8eO0Uhh

“We want to challenge who holds power in the visual media world by uplifting our community and holding institutions accountable,” said Tamayo, of the Authority Collective. “We are making a point to focus on actions because we don’t have time to wait for these gatekeepers — who are happy to talk about inclusion but do little to address it in meaningful ways — to follow through.”

Jennica Guy, left, gets ready for Hartford High School’s prom with their date Charlotte Dennison on Saturday, May 20, 2017, at Guy’s home in White River Junction, Vt. Guy, 17, is non-binary and uses “she,” “her,” “they” and “them” pronouns. “Don’t think that everyone who identifies as non-binary is confused,” Guy said. “I’ve been told I’m confused in my gender identity but I’m not. That’s who I am.” Tamayo, a former Valley News photography intern, chose this as her 2017 Valley News photo of the year.